A/N: Hey Guys! This chapter has taken me a little longer to write as I accidentally deleted half the chapter -_- okay one more thing to say before you can start reading… Please, please, please check out 'An Unbreakable Bond by my good friend ForeverAndAlways861' it's an AU clato fic and I personally thought it was awesome! But any who, on with chapter 6!
The rest of the week passes by fairly uneventfully. Katniss and Peeta have gotten used to their schedule now and, thankfully, stick to it and there are no more additions to the thankyou's following the events in 11.
Although each day brings a new setting and crowd, the ceremonies and dinners are all the same; in a way I'm glad this is the first ,and last, victory tour I will ever have the 'upmost pleasure' of being part of. I am at the point of tearing my own hair out (luckily it's tucked under a wig), I am staying up until one in the morning writing schedules for the next day and when I eventually get to bed, all I can hear is screams and shouts coming from the neighbouring rooms which I can only presume is nightmares. I know it isn't their fault but now I'm resulting to either overdosing on sleeping pills or finding some quiet compartment where I can drink coffee all night. Either way I am shattered.
Today we arrive in the Capitol and seen as the journey from District One is a lengthy one we are expected to arrive at around four o'clock this afternoon just in time for a quick turnaround to attend the ceremony which is naturally shorter seen as they have no one to thank in the Capitol. I have told everyone on the train that they can sleep in until ten o'clock at the latest, giving everyone the rest they deserve after the tiresome week-and-a-half. On the one day I can actually have the sleep I need, technology has a better idea.
I wake up to the, oh too familiar sound of the alarm clock on my bedside table, drawing me out of my peaceful sleep. I slam my fist down, ceasing the ringing and manage to open my eyes just enough to make out the fluorescent red numbers. 6:30 am.
I moan and push my head back down onto the satin pillow although I know I will not find sleep again. I half expected to be blinded by sunlight streaming in, but the only sound I can hear is rain softly pattering against the train windows. I sigh and reluctantly pull myself from the warmth of my bed, opening the curtains only to reveal a grey, miserable day. I figure as it is so early and I gave people permission to stay in bed that little bit longer that I have no need to dress just yet. I pull on my white flannel robe and head out of my room.
The train corridor is understandably quiet; the only sound the almost silent engine humming contently as it takes us on the final, thank god, leg of our journey.
I go to the dining car to pick up a black coffee and when I look through the window I see a plastered Haymitch, head down on the mahogany table. I laugh silently to myself as I pour myself a coffee and him a glass of water. I take a fairly large risk when I attempt to replace the empty whisky glass with the water but it pays off seen as he doesn't stir.
I take a moment to just stand and look at his features and think to myself how different he looks to the confident, handsome boy I fell into a childlike love with when I was seven years old. I brush a stray strand of blond hair from his eyes and notice how peaceful he looks when he is, I suppose, sleeping as appose to when he is either drunk and disorderly or having an angry rant usually at me.
I quickly remove my hand from his cheek when I realise what I'm doing and move quickly in to one of the other compartments trying to push all thoughts of Haymitch Abernathy out of my mind and failing miserably. I end up at the very back of the train in the room where the windows retract into the ceiling seamlessly, giving you an almost 360 degree view of the landscape though today, there is not much to see.
The grey clouds stretch out as far as the eye can see, getting heavier in the direction we just came. The ground by the tracks is bleak and rocky as we pass by the borders of District 2 but with every mile, it becomes that little bit greener. The mountains that outline the Capitol are beginning to take shape and deep green coniferous forests colour their grey banks. The remnants of winter are still evident as their steep inclines are still dusted with white snow. I look at the clock and see that I have unintentionally allowed everyone an extra half hours sleep.
I pass through the different compartments, still eerily quiet, and once I get back to my room, I take out my cerise pink blazer and skirt that goes just above my knee. After taking out the matching shoes and wig, I apply contrasting turquoise shades around my eyes and a pink lipstick.
Once I am ready I knock on Katniss and Peeta's doors but since there is no reply from the latter, I presume he has gone to sleep with Katniss again. I only hear a tired mumble from behind Katniss' door which is probably as good as I'm going to get so I move down the corridor to the dining car.
I half expect to see Haymitch still slumped over the table but he has now retreated to the corner of the room and the only place that isn't flooded with bright sunlight. "Good morning Haymitch!" I chirp happily as I take a glass of orange juice from the side and take it to the dining table which is now laden with toast, pastries, muffins and virtually anything you could want for breakfast. He brings a hand up to his forehead and sighs deeply "Why do you have to be so goddamn happy at this time in the morning?"
"Why do you have to be so grouchy? You get to go home tomorrow. I still have two more journeys left on this thing." I say taking a croissant from the neatly stacked pile and placing it on the gilded china.
"Oh, my heart bleeds Princess." He retorts and I consider throwing the pastry in his direction but don't, seen as a food fight would be a. extremely unladylike and b. probably a fight I wouldn't win.
Katniss and Peeta enter and take a seat across from me at the table. "Are the sleeping pills not working dear?" I question noticing the dark circles underneath Katniss' eyes. She shakes her head before replying "they make it worse." I offer her a sympathetic smile and she returns it briefly.
We sit in silence for the rest of breakfast occasionally hearing the groans from Haymitch in the corner nursing the hangover from hell. It serves him right. Eventually I have enough of his constant cursing and indecipherable muttering, "Haymitch if you are going to make all of that noise please go somewhere else and do it." I snap and he looks at me as though I have said the most unreasonable thing in the world. "I'm suffering…" He mutters back and I laugh.
"Well that's no one's fault but your own." I say taking a sip of orange juice. "You know what, I'm glad that these two are taking over next year. Maybe twelve will have some victors for once." The words tumble from my mouth before I can stop them and I know I shouldn't have said it, even if it was the truth.
"Ouch, that one hurt." Haymitch clutches his chest in fake agony and I roll my eyes. "Last thing I heard, Effie Trinket's quitting her job. Had enough of Katniss and Peeta for one lifetime or couldn't you bear to do the job without me?" He laughs and I sigh. Can't this man take anything seriously? Peeta is about to speak but Haymitch interjects him. "Or maybe she's finally sick and tired of leading children to their bloody deaths." He says disdainfully looking right at me and I slam my knife and fork down on the table, unable to put up with it anymore. I start shouting things at him, not caring in the slightest about manners, and he is shouting back. I occasionally shift my glance over to the kids and see that their eyes are moving back and forth between the two of us like they're watching some sort of tennis match.
Eventually I have had enough and I leave the room, taking off down the corridor at full speed. Once I have pulled open the door to my room I slam it closed, lock it and fall to the ground bringing my knees to my chin. Tears sting my eyes and run down my cheeks but I'm not crying because of all the words said, I am crying because I know he is right. I am a monster.
I'm not sure when I knew it first. I suppose it was my third year when I reaped a twelve year old and her brother. Bonnie and Caldwell Lockhearst, he was only two years older than she and vowed from the day they both took the stage that they wouldn't leave each other's sides. It was then really that I felt heartless and cold-blooded. She would never say anything directly to me or Haymitch and would only whisper things in her brother's ear to tell us, I'm not sure if she was shy or just didn't want to speak to anyone but her brother.
The night before the day they left for the arena, I was trying to get some sleep when I heard tiny whimpers and sobs coming through the wall from Bonnie's room. Every year I would vow not to become too attached to my tributes but I couldn't ignore the petite blonde girl in the next room crying to herself in the dark. I decided to go and see her though I knew I would probably be the last person in the world she would want to see. When I opened her door, letting a shaft of light from the hallway cut across the dark and illuminate her despairing grey eyes, flooded with tears. I walked over to her in the dark and sat on the end of her bed and surprisingly she didn't move away and instead nestled into my side. I was completely taken aback by this and I wrapped an arm around her small, shaking frame. I managed to pry her away from my side enough to look her in her eyes and ask her what the matter was though I knew full well what was wrong. She explained, her voice wavering and occasionally breaking as a new round of tears began to cascade down her cheeks. When she had explained I told her that she needed to sleep and when she asked me to stay until she did, I gladly accepted. Once she was in a deep sleep, I quietly edged my way out of her room but before I did I told her I was sorry. I knew she wouldn't hear me but just the fact that I had apologised lifted a heavy weight from my shoulders. When I found my way back to my room, I found a restless and torturous sleep.
They left for the arena the next day, a frozen wasteland. I was surprised when they both made it through to the final ten but when hunting for their only meal in days, Caldwell was shot in the neck with a poison dart from one of the other career tributes and died almost instantly. Bonnie was grief stricken and was trying unsuccessfully to bring her brother back. When night came she knew there was nothing she could do so crawled down beside her brother in the snow and eventually overnight, froze to death. Audiences from around Panem were absolutely beside themselves and for a period it was rumoured that there would be an uprising which of course never happened. I cried so much that night that I thought I would never be able to cry again which of course I proved wrong.
"Effie, are you okay? You've been in there all afternoon. We're nearly there." I am awakened by the concerned voice of Peeta from the other side of my door. "Yes, I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute." I say my voice dry. When I stand I pull the creases from my skirt and jacket and make my way towards the bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror, my eye makeup running and making a colour I never even knew existed. I laugh lightly and wipe my makeup off before reapplying it quickly and making my way back out into the corridor. Everyone is stood by the door, ready for our impending arrival in the Capitol, Cinna and Portia making sure Katniss and Peeta look presentable. Two Capitol attendants are stood at the rear, one holding bags containing dresses for the ladies and the other suits for the men.
When the doors open, we are greeted with hysterical Capitol citizens, all screaming, cheering and waving manically. Katniss and Peeta barely get a chance to wave back before we are loaded into a shiny black car, set to take us the old quarters in the Training Centre. When we arrive we only have mere minutes to turn around before Katniss and Peeta will appear for the twelfth time in front of the entire nation on a makeshift stage before the Training Centre.
Caesar Flickerman introduces the two of them and the crowd goes wild, chanting their names. Cinna, Portia, Haymitch and I are within the crowd but in a designated area reserved for the victor's party and valued or highly esteemed citizens, strangely lacking in the presence of the president tonight so I presume he must be making an appearance in the show. Caesar is reeling through a list of questions before he comes to one asking them both what they have planned for the future. As if on cue Peeta drops to one knee and begins pouring his heart out to Katniss and begs her to marry him, she of course accepts before pulling him from his knees and kissing him passionately. "I only hope it's enough." Says Haymitch over the now uncontrollable crowd, loud enough for me to hear but not for anyone else. I give him a questioning look but he just tells me "Later."
On large screens behind them it shows crowds from all over Panem show the country besotted with happiness. President Snow takes the stage, congratulating the two of them on their engagement. From the way he lingers in front of Katniss, not speaking but just standing, I can tell there is something going on.
The president finally manages to quiet the manic crowd and he asks the audience if we should throw them a wedding here in the Capitol. The crowd cheers again but soon quiets as Caesar asks the president if he has a date in mind. "Oh, before we set a date, we better clear it with Katniss' mother," The audience laughs and the president puts his arm around Katniss. Her smile wavers for a moment and I can tell by the way she is wringing her hands together that there is certainly something wrong.
After the interview, we have an hour and a half to prepare ourselves for the party. Cinna and Portia whisk Katniss and Peeta away immediately for prepping but Haymitch and I linger behind in the living room for a moment. "So what's going on?" I say when everyone else is out of earshot. Haymitch looks around the room before grabbing me firmly by the wrist and pulling me up a flight of stairs and to the roof. We reach the middle of the roof and I pull my arms across my chest when a sudden cold breeze sends a chill through me.
He explains everything and I listen intently, not interrupting once. He tells me about President Snow, the unrest in the districts even that Katniss and Gale shared a kiss. He says that Katniss thinks the whole country, us especially, are in jeopardy because of the stunt she pulled with the berries. The public marriage proposal was her idea to make sure that we were in his good books for now.
"Well, now you can't say I never tell you anything." Says Haymitch with a smile and I laugh lightly. "Thank you." I say returning the smile. We stand in silence for a few minutes before I excuse myself and go and get ready for the party figuring we spent a good ten minutes talking on the roof.
When I reach my room I see my dress hung on the door to the bathroom along with the shoes and wig to match lying on the chest of drawers. The dress I chose looks so different in the homely glow of the room as appose to the fluorescent, almost white light of the shop I purchased it from and for a pretty penny I might add. I run the crimson red silk between my fingers seeing miniscule threads of silver and gold catch the light. It was definitely worth the money. I slip it on and it fits me perfectly. The back of the dress was the only thing I was unsure about as it stops just above the small of my back but under closer inspection I find that I actually like it. I pull blonde curls that cascade down my back over my head, not too dissimilar to my own except for the metallic streak of gold that runs through the front. I had taken Portia shopping with me and she was the one who suggested that I buy it and I can see why she is my best friend and also an acclaimed stylist because it looks fabulous. I wipe of the days makeup and replace it with deep crimson lipstick and black eyeliner curling out into a flick and ending with a small diamante applied to one side. I pull on my shoes and head out of the door.
All three of the men wear a traditional black tuxedo with different colour trimmings. Peeta's is outlined with a deep red which matches exactly to Katniss' dress, Cinna's a fiery orange and Haymitch a vibrant gold. Portia is probably the only one in the group that is wearing a short dress but it still looks beautiful and compliments her tanned skin tone and dark brown hair styled in tight curls. We all head down in the elevator which is a little cramped considering there are seven of us in there. The prep teams are clearing away everything they have used and then are joining us there.
We get into two separate cars, Katniss and Peeta leading up front and Haymitch, Cinna, Portia,
and I at the rear. I can't help but smile when Haymitch occasionally pulls on his bow tie until it comes looser. I sigh and tell him to pull it back up again although I am finding it rather amusing, only to be replied by some snarky comment which earns a sarcastic smile from me.
When we arrive at the president's mansion, we see that Katniss and Peeta are already a good halfway up the red carpet and are being recorded and photographed from just about every angle. A man in a suit opens the car door for us and we all file out in order: Cinna, Portia, Haymitch then me
People are shouting our names from just about anywhere and I don't know where to look so I just stand there waving, smiling and blowing kisses in just about every direction. I look ahead of me to see that Haymitch is also waving but never enthusiastically, just enough to satisfy the shouts and screams. We all eventually make it into the grand banquet hall which has been transformed especially for the occasion. I take a moment to look around and admire the fantastic architecture and décor. Fine paintings hung from just about every wall and floor-to-ceiling mirrors reflecting the happy dancers that occupy at least two thirds of the space. I descend the grand marble staircase and into a night that I probably won't forget for a long time.
A/N: Wow haha! 3485 words lol, that's my longest chapter yet and I hope you all liked it! I will update quite soon as I have already written chapter 7 but I need to type it up. Again, please check out the ff I mentioned above and continue to review/favourite etc.
Lots of love! ~ H x